PSU employees vote to change status

By a more than two-to-one margin, classified staff at Pittsburg State University voted Tuesday to change their status from classified staff to university support staff (USS). Of the 289 employees eligible to vote, 250 cast ballots. The final tally was 171 yes and 79 no.

By a more than two-to-one margin, classified staff at Pittsburg State University voted Tuesday to change their status from classified staff to university support staff (USS). Of the 289 employees eligible to vote, 250 cast ballots. The final tally was 171 yes and 79 no.

Kansas Statute 76-715a allows the Kansas Board of Regents (KBOR) to authorize any state institution of higher education to convert all classified staff employee positions to university support staff employees. That change shifts management of the employees from the state to the local level.

Classified employees at the University of Kansas made the switch to USS in 2006. Employees at Kansas State University and Fort Hays State University have recently voted to make the change. Similar discussions have occurred or are occurring on all of the remaining state university campuses in Kansas.

The results of the vote will be submitted to the Kansas Board of Regents for their approval.